Jewelry clasp



May 6 1941- H. BORDEN r 2,240,479

JEWELRY CLASP Filed Jan. 15, 1941 mw 2 U Patented May 6, 1941 UITED STATES PATENT @PHE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to clasps intended for use in connection with the wrist bands of wrist watches, bracelets or other similar articles.

More particularly, the invention relates to the type of clasp wherein a plurality` of hingedly connected links are pivotally attached to a casing in which they are nested in overlying relationship while the clasp is in its closed condition and which are swung out of the casing to extended position when it is desired to elongate the eifective length of the wrist-encircling band of which the clasp forms a part. The object of the present invention is to provide, in a clasp of the general structure above described, locking means by which inadvertent opening or extension of the several links or connected elements of the clasp is effectively prevented.

The invention contemplates the provision cf a casing in which the parts of the clasp are housed, several of said parts consisting of hinged links pivoted at one end of thecasing; a slidable link is movable in and out of the casing andinterengaging elements are provided on one of the hinged parts and on the slidable link, said interengaging parts being so vdisposed in co-operative relationshipV that they retain the hinged parts nested within the casing while the slidable link is retracted or partly retracted therein, and become disengaged and permit swinging movement of said parts out of the casing when the slidable link has been moved to the limit of its movement out of the casing.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, Fig. 1 is a 'front elevational view of a clasp made in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the parts of the clasp in open or extended position; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the clasp in open or extended `position; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; Fig. 5 is also a longitudinal sectional view through the clasp, showing the same in partly open position; Fig. 611s a sectional View on the line 6--6 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 7 is a sectional View on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 8 is a rear View of the casing, the slidable link and ratchet means therefor.

In the drawing, I indicates the body portion or main element of the clasp, the same being in the form of a substantially rectangular, slightly curved, casing composed of a front 2 and top and bottom walls 3 and l. Pivoted between the top Aand bottom walls on the pintle 5 is a link member 6 in 'the form of a 'rectangular open frame, provided with the central opening or aperture l. Theopposite'end of the outer link member 9 is provided.- with a loop portion IU or other connecting means by which this end of the link member may be attached to one end of the wrist band or bracelet, a portion of which is indicated at II.

The outer link member 9 is composed of two parts, namely, an outer portion I2 and an inner overlying plate i3, the latter plate being secured over the inner face of the outer portion I2 by means of the several bent-over lugs I d, clearly seen in Fig. 2. When the clasp is in its closed position, as shown in Figs. l, 4 and 6, the two link members 6 and 9 are nested within the casing I in overlying relationship or in closed position and means to be described are provided for retaining said members in such closed position.

Provided on the plate portion I3 is a projecting elongated flange I5 extending longitudinally of the link member 9 and preferably forced out of the body of the plate portion I3 and directed inwardly and upwardly, as clearly seen in Fig. 6 so that it extends towards the inner face of the front plate 2 of the casing I when the clasp is in its closed position. The opening 'I formed in the link member 6 allows the flange I5 to project through said link member to engage behind a lug I6 provided on a slidable link Il mounted within the casing and movable in and out of that end of the casing I opposite to that where the pivot 5 is located. The slidable link Il is formed at one end with a loop portion I8 or other suitable part for engagement with the end I Ia. of the wrist band or bracelet. The slidable link I1 Iis restrained from sliding movement in a direction out of the casing by means of a pawl I9 engaging with ratchet teeth 2i] formed on the inner edge of one of the side bars 2| of the slidable link I1. The pawl I9 consists of an inturned end of a spring arm 22 comprising part of a substantially U-shaped member 23 secured between the top and bottom walls 3 and 4 of the casing and providing a guide-channel between it and the front wall 2 of the casing within which the link Il is slidable. A lug 24 formed on the resilient arm 22 extends through an opening provided in the wall 3 of the casing, said lug constituting a finger-engaging element by which the resilient arm 22 can be depressed, as shown in Fig. 8, to release the pawl I9 from engagement with ratchet teeth 29 and permit the slidable link I1 to be shifted out of the casing to the limit of such movement as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5 at which time the lug IS abuts against cross bar 25, provided on member 23, and acts as a stop to prevent further outward sliding movement of the slidable link. The side bar 25 of the'member 23 is formed with a lug 2l which extends through the wall 4 and serves to hold the member 23 against shifting movement out of thecasing.

The clasp is shown inits open position yin Fig. 3 wherein it will be seen that the slidable link I'I is extended out of the casing I to the limit of its outward movement, at which time the lug I6 is in abutment with the bar 25 of the member 23. The link members 6 and 9 have been swung out of the casing, so that the wrist band or bracelet is extended to its fullest degree and may now be slipped over the hand. To tighten the band around the wrist, the link members 6 and 9 are first folded upon each other, as shown in Fig. and then nested within the casing I.Y

When this is done, the flange I5 on plate I3 is projected through opening I in link member 6. It will be noted that at this time, and while the slidable link I1 is fully extended, the lug IS carried by it is positioned beyond the end of the flange I5, or in the opening 29 in the plate I3, clearly seen in Fig. 2. Next, the slidable link Il is manually slid inwardly within the casing to the required extent to enable the wrist band or bracelet to properly t the wrist, the ratchet mechanism permitting this inward sliding movement, and as soon as the link i1 is slid inwardly, the lug I6 will engage behind the flange i5. Since the pawl I9 will prevent outward sliding movement of the link II unless the lug 24 is depressed, it will be obvious that links 6 and 9 will be prevented from swinging movement out of the casing by the engagement of lug I6 with the flange I5 as clearly seen in Fig. 6. To open the clasp,

' thelug Z4 is depressed and slidable link I'I is moved out of the casing I to the limit of such extended movement, at which point lug I3 will have moved beyond the end of the flange I5 and the link members 6 and 9 can then be swung to open position.

What I claim is:

l. A clasp of the character described comprising a casing, one end of said casing being pivotally attached to a pair of hingedly connected links, said links being adapted to be either disposed Within said casing in overlying relationship, or swung outwardly in extended position out of the casing, a slidable link member in the form of a frame, movable in or out of the casing, ratchet means for normally restraining movement of said slidable link member out of the casing, and interengaging parts on said slidable link member and one Vof the hinged links, said parts engaging within the frame-like link member and remote from the outer edges thereof whereby the links are retained in overlying relationship within the casing until the slidable link member is manually moved to its extended position out of the casing.

2. A clasp of the character described comprising, a casing, two hingedly connected link members pivotally attached to the casing and adapted to be nested within the casing in overlying relationship,rone. of said link members being centrally apertured, a slidable link mounted in the casing and capable of movement to an ,eX-

tended position out of the casing, manually releasable means for holding the slidable link in any selected position of adjustment relative to the casing, said link having Va projecting lug entrant through the aperture in one of the link members, one of the hinged link membersbeing provided with a llange over which said lug extends when said lug extends through said aperture to thereby hold the link members against movement out of the casing while the slidable link is disposed within the casing.

3. lA clasp of the character described comprising,` a casing, an apertured link member pivotally attached at one end of said casing, a second link member pivotally attached to said rst link member, both of said link members being capable of swinging movement into an overlying position within the casing, a slidable link movable in and out of one end of the casing, ratchet means for restraining said slidable linkagainst movement out of the casing, and interengaging parts on the slidable link and on the second link member and located in engagement within the aperture in the first link member for holding the link members against pivotal movement, said interengaging parts being released from engagement with one another only when the slidable link is located at the limit of its movement out of the casing.

4. A clasp of the character described compris- Y ing, a casing, a link member pivotally attached at one end of said'casing, a second link member pivotally attached to said rst link member, both of said link members being capable of swinging movement into an overlying position within the casing, a slidable linkin the form of a frame movable in and out of one end of the casing, ratchet means for restraining said slidable link against movement out of the casing, the slidable link having a rearwardly extended lug located remotely of its longitudinal edges and directed inwardly therefrom, one of the link members having a lengthy projecting flange disposed behind said lug when the slidable link is at leastf end one ofthe link members while said link and' link members are disposed within the casing for holding the link members against swinging movement out of thecasing, the link located between the casing and the end link being provided with a central aperture through which the engaging means carried by' the slidable link Ais brought into engagement with the end'link. g

6. A clasp .of thecharacter described comprising, a casing, apair of hingedly connected link members pivotally attached to one end of AtheV casing and adapted to be swung into said Vcasing in overlying position, one of said link members being in the form of an open frame, the other link'member Vhaving a-projecting flange directed through the frame and toward the front of the casing, a slidable link movable longitudinally of the casing and in and out of one end thereof, means for regulating and limiting the extent, of projection of said slidable link out of the casing, a lug provided on said slidable link,`

said lugengaging the flange within the opening in the frame and holding the link members against swinging movement, said lug disengaging from the flange whenthe slidablelink is fully projected out of the casing to permit the link membersto be swung out of the casing. 

